Grappler



S. H. HALL GRAPPLER Sept. N, 1949.

Filed Dec. 15, 1945 NEY.

Fatented Sept. 13, 194g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRAPPLER Selden H. Hall, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assignor to The De Laval Separator. Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 15, 1945, Serial No. 635,181

9 Claims.

My invention constitutes an improved device for lifting articles having, near the top, a neck with a diameter substantially less than that of the body and having, above the neck, a portion (sometimes consisting of an easily removable cover) of much greater diameter than the neck. When the large diameter portion consists of a removable cover there must be a flare, which may be of relatively small size, at the top of the neck. The removable cover for the object is of no importance except that the grappler must be of suflicient size to pass over it easily.

The object of my invention is to provide an article gripping device that is easily and quickly applicable to the article to be lifted, which will safely and securely hold the article whilesuspended by the device and which, after the article has been placed in a. desired position, can be quickly and easily removed therefrom.

While applicable for lifting many articles having a reduced diameter neck and a larger diameter portion above the neck, the device is particularly valuable for lifting, into and out of the coolers now in extensive use, cans of milk which have a small flare at the top of the neck and an easily removable large cover above it.

In constructing a grappler that is adapted for application to cans of the milk can type, the grappler must be applicable to cans of different diameters and must also be operative whether the can is new or old, In a new can the neck of the lid that fits into the can body may not be precisely cylindrical but may be slightly tapered and, when the lid is applied to the can, the lid usually stands high in the can. After use the neck of the can gradually becomes somewhat stretched and the neck of the lid gradually compressed until the lid slides further and further down into the neck of the can. A grappler embodying my invention is applicable to cans of different sizes H and to old and new cans.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the grappler spread wide open as in the process of being attached to or removed from a can with a large cover.

Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the two similar members of the grappler.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same member, looking down on Fig. 4.

Fig. 61s a side view of the same member, looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4.

Referringto the drawings:

-The-b0dy l of a milk can has, at its top, a neck 2, of a diameter usually a little more than half that of the can body and having a flaring upper end 3. l is a cylindrical portion of a can lid or cover having a top 5 extending outward beyond and downward around the flaring top 3 of the can neck.

A grappler. embodying my invention in a preferred form consists of two similar. members each having an arcuate central portion 6 adapted to fit part way around the neck of the can and, at the ends thereof, portions 1 extending outward and preferably downward, as shown in Fig. 6, to points outside ofand lower down than the edge of the lid. From these points portions 8 of the member extend upward and inward, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, at an angle (usually about 60 though it may vary considerably from that angle) each portion 8 terminating in 'an eye 9. A third member, shown in Figs. land 2, has a horizontal main portion Ill with a lifting cable ll attached to its center and, at'op'posite ends, depending eyes l2 linked through the eyes 9 at the ends of the portions 8 of the two similar members.

The grappler may be made to fit any size object that it is desired to lift, but in any case the distance 13 between diagonally opposite endsflof the arcs, when separated to their greatest distance as shown in Fig. 3, must be slightly greater than the sum of the radium of the neck and the radius of the cover or lid (as indicated at A and B'respectively in Fig. 1). It will be understood that in specifying the cover or lid I mean to include any superposed large diameter portion of the neck.

In attaching the grappler to an object, the bar It is grasped in one hand and the grappler moved diagonally downward toward the object so that one of the two similar members strikes on top of, and the other underneath, the large diameter lid or cover. Continued movement of the center member causes the member on top to slide'across the top till it drops down and swings under the large diameter lid or cover. When the top member It is lifted the two lower members are drawn inward till they contact the neck 2. They then slide upward against the flare 3 and by continued lifting movement the can and contents are raised.

The above described operation may be better understood by reference to Fig. 1, which shows diameter portion ,ab ve extending outward therefrom Tm'ately atright'angles to the planeojf thearcufate portion, and two 'other portions, one at the "outer end of each "of thelast named portions, extending parallel to each other and "upward at 3 in broken lines the positions of the parts of least clearance while the grappler is being applied to a can and before lifting the bar ID to move the parts into lifting position as shown in full lines. (Only half the grappler is shown in full lines to avoid confusion of lines.)

To release the, grappler from the load, an operator merely grasps one of the lower members and pulls it outward and upward around the lid or cover.

In order that the grappler will hold a can with assured safety, the line of applied force of 'the side members from the point a: (seeliig. 1') should be below a line perpendicular to the outer fiaring upper portion of the can neck. As shown' inFig. 1, this fiare is at the usual angle of about i, while the above specified 'pun "is severai degrees below this angle. This is accomplished by mak ing the distance from it to the center of the eye I a shor aspos ible.

Because the pull on the two similanme nbers isat an angle of. about 60 thereis no danger of the grappler opening and, releasing the load. 4,

While the downward bend of the portion] may .not be needed-for. app1icatio n to some articles, .it is particularly ,valuablewhen lifting cans of milk because the lower, largediameter edge of the lid may be at a substantially. lower level than the top of the flare 3, as is usually the case, as hereinbefore explained, after the can has been in use for some time. w w

While I have described mygrappler as being particularly fitted for lifting milk, cans, it is equally well suited for lifting any other articles having a small diameter neck below a larger diameter top with at least partfof a larger diameterportion intcgralwith the neck. The adaptatibn of my invention to such "other "articles may make advisable, or require, minor departures from the specific construction above described, but such advisable or necessary modifications will necessitate only ominemmecnamc'ai fskill. A, What I claim and desire to protect 'by'Letters 'Patentis: I" i Ina 'devic'e'for liftingiarticles having a' relatively small diameterneckan'd a relatively' large it, the combination of two similar memberaea'ch of saijdmembers consisting of a central arcuate portion having a radius approximating that of the neck, two per- Ttio'ns adjoining "opposite ends of the arc and n apla pp o ian angle pronouncedly oblique to the plan e of the arcuate portion and terminating in eyes, "and a relatively small diameter cylindrical neck with a flaring top and a lid consisting of a cylindrical portion fitting inside the neck and a relatively large diameter portion extending outward above and downward around the top of the neck, the combination of two similar members; each member consisting of a central arcuate portion having a radius approximately equal to the outside radius of the neck, two portions adjoining opposite ends of each arcuate portion and extending outward therefrom in a plane at approximately right angles to that of the arcuate portion, and two pther portions at the outer ends of the last named portions and extending upward in a plane at an angle of approximately 60 to the plane of the arcuate portions and intersecting the axis of the arcs at 'a level above that of the arcs and termirlating in eyes; and a third member the center of which is approximately at the intersection of a plane perpendicular to the axis of the arcs with an t rplaee ntai in x s a t e r n which extendsparallel with the first mentioned plane andwhich has at opposite ends 'downwardly extending eyes engaging the eyes on the ends of the two firstfmentioned members. 5. A device as described in'clairn '4 in which the distance between diagonally opposite endsof the arcuaie' q iw lw ei i i their maximum distance apart fs slightly v greater and only slightly greaterthan the radius a: the neck bf the can plus the maximum radius of the lid.

6.- dev c s d cr bes in c i 4 in which the .inorti i a iqin e fih erw e e o are at an an l 'bel wjihe. leas 9 t e. arcuate Portions- 7. device for lifting articles and especially adapted to the lifting of cans having a neck of the respective endportions, the central portion a third member having its main portion ina plane perpendicular to the axis of the arcuate f portions and having at oppositeends' eyes engaging the eyes on the adjacentends of "thetwo similar members.

2. A device as described in claim 1 whichthe distance between the diagonallyoppo'site ends of the arcuate'portionswhen'at thegr'esitesthcssi'ble distance apart is slightly greater than the radius of the neck plus theradius of the large diameter portion, of the article to be lifted.

3. A device as described in claim 1 in which the 'portions extending outward from the endsofthe arcuate portions extend downward belowthe plane of the arcuate portions.

having the contour of an arc of a circle, thetwo connecting portions extending downward and outward from. the central'portion, the two end portions extending parallel to each other upward from the connecting-portions at acute anglesto their respective connecting portions, and eyes at the termini-'oftheend portions; the third member comprising a main portion extending in a plane-perpendicular 'to the axis of the arcs of the'centralporti'ons of the two similar members and eyes depending, from opposite ends of said ;main portion, each of the last named eyes engaging the "two eyes at the'corresponding end portions'ofthetwo similar members.

8. A device for lifting articles and especially adapted to the liftingof cans having a neck of "small diameter relative to its body and having an 'enlarged'top'and a lidaor cover'of large diameter 'relative' to the-neck'a'nd having a downward extending'peripheral portion; said device comprising three-members, two of which are similar; each of the two similar members comprising a-central =portion, two 'endaportionsgand two connecting portions between the central portion and the re- "spective end portions, the central portion having the contour of'anarc'of a circle, the two connecting portions *extendingdownward and outward from the central portion in aplane-approximately at right angles to the plane' of the central arcuate portion, the two end portions extending parallel to each other and upward from the connecting portions at an angle of about 60 to the plane of the central arcuate portion, and eyes at the termini of the end portions; the third member comprising a main portion extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the arcs of the central portions of the two similar members and eyes depending from opposite ends of said main portion, each of the last named eyes engaging the two eyes at the corresponding end portions of the two similar members.

Q. In a device for lifting milk cans which have a relatively small diameter cylindrical neck with a flaring top and a lid consisting of a cylindrical portion fitting inside the neck and a relatively large diameter portion extending outward above and downward around the top of the neck, the combination of a member adapted, when applied to the can, to extend above the cover and of a length greater than the diameter of the cover and having at opposite ends depending arms; and two similar members, each comprising end sections swingably connected to said de- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 107,444 Burgess Sept. 20, 1870 892,588 Gienger July 7, 1908 1,420,273 May June 20, 1922 

